Orlando going to court to take church land for MLS soccer stadium

Church asks city to "leave us alone" if talks break down

Negotiators at Orlando City Hall and a church that stands in the way of a new Major League Soccer stadium remain far apart on a selling price and appear headed to court.

City officials have been trying for more than a year to acquire the land where tiny Faith Deliverance Temple sits. The city has bought up 17 other parcels and filed eminent domain actions in court to force the sale of two others on the Parramore site. The church is the last hold-out.

Mayor Buddy Dyer said it wouldn't be a good use of tax dollars to pay the church's asking price — $35 million — when the property is appraised at less than $1 million.

"My understanding is…they're back at wanting $35 million for a $700,000 piece of property, so I anticipate at some point we're going to have to move forward and let the court determine what the fair market value of that property is," Dyer said.

Plans and financing for an $84 million pro soccer stadium have already been approved, with the price split between public dollars and Orlando City Soccer Club, which begins play as an MLS expansion team next year.

The team had planned to begin playing in the stadium midway through its first MLS season. But last week uncertainty about the church land prompted team execs to announce they'll play the entire 2015 season in the Citrus Bowl.

Dyer said taking the land in court wouldn't give Orlando a black eye.

"We really haven't had much of a PR backlash," he said. "I've actually visited with a lot of people in the faith community, and the idea that the city government with taxpayer dollars would pay $35 million to any organization for a $700,000 piece of property doesn't really sit well with very many people."

A church representative declined to discuss specific details of the talks with the city, but said the church would be happy to stay where it is.

"Faith Deliverance Temple continues to negotiate with the city in good faith hoping this will come to an amicable end. If negotiations break down, we ask that the city leave us alone," said Jonathan Williams, son of the church's founders.

Church members based their asking price, in part, on how much it cost to acquire a piece of First United Methodist Church's downtown campus in 2007 so the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts could be built. The arts center paid the church $28.3 million in cash, land, a replacement building and parking, and the city agreed to realign a portion of South Street for the church's benefit, bringing the total cost to about $35 million.

Dyer said city officials "will leave door open" for further negotiations but will more likely go to court: "We have not filed eminent domain but I do anticipate that we will move forward with that."

Eminent domain proceedings, also known as condemnation, are split into two parts. In the first, a judge would decide whether the city has a right to take the property for public use. If the judge sides with the city, the court would then determine a fair price.